Shipping-box.



Patented Se t. 30, I902.

J. T. HICKS;

' SHIPPlNG BOX. I ication filed May 23, 1902 Y 2 Sheets-sheaf I.

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UNITED STATES i PATENT FFICE.

JOHN T. iioKs, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

"SHIPPING-BOX.

SPECIFICATIQN formingpart of Letters Patent No. 710,100, dated September 30, 19. 2-

Application filed May 23 IQDZ. Serial No. 108,612. (No model) To a]; whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. HIoKs, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shipping- Which the following is a specification. s

This invention relates to a new and useful shipping-box for use in the transportation of I goods of Various kinds, and is more especially Fig. 2.

adapted for carrying the printed matter belonging to what is'known as the Hicks method of cash registering and account-'- checking in hotels, restaurants, and other similarplaces; and thepresent invention conslsts in numerous improvements whereby a strong and durable box or case is provided capable of standing hard service and able to protect the contents while being shipped, so that they cannot be stolen or injured, thebox being in many respectsv the equivalent ofa safe.

Furthermore, the invention consists in a stout and lasting box having a cover provided with reinforcing bars or cleats to strengthen the same, which cover is formed with a removable section to permit access to the interior of the box, and'also with looking mechanism for effectually securing the removable section in place while the box is being shipped, and also the invention may be said to comprise various details and peculiarities of construction and combination, substantially as Will be'hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accom panying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved shipping-box, represented as closed. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of thesame, shown open. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 00 0c of Fig. 2. Fig. 4t is'a transverse vertical section on the line y y of Similar numerals of reference designate like parts throughout the different figures.

1 designates a square, rectangular, or other shaped boxof any'de'sired size, shape, material, and design. The interior of this box is subdivided into as many compartment-s or chambers as you please in order to accommodate the difierent styles and varieties of the goods to be shipped. Inasmuch as the box is primarily designed for use with restaurantchecks and the like belonging to the service of the Hicks method of cash-registering and account-checking, I provide the interior of box 1 with one fixed and immovable longitudinal partition 2, which divides it into two chambers, and these two chambers are in turn each subdivided into three smaller chambers by means of the transverse sliding partitions 3, the vertical edges of which work in suitable receiving-grooves 4: in the central longitudinal partition 2 and the side walls of box 1, all as clearly indicated in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, said slides 3 being provided near their upper ends with finger-holes 5, whereby they may be grasped and lifted whenever it is desired to remove them from the box. 7

The top ot' the box consists of three parts, preferably about equal in size, two of which, as 6 and 7, are fastened rigidly and immovably 0n the .box, while the third or middle one, as 8, is removable in order to permit access to the interior of the box and is adapted to be securely locked to close the box when required. I preferably locate the parts 6 and .7 of the top so that they will lie permanently 'Thepermanently-attached parts 6 and 7 are secured by nails or screws to the box 1. Furthermore, I employ at all corners metallic straps, angle-irons, or corner-plates 9, which serve to strengthen the box and enable the corners to stand the wear and tear of use. The nails, bolts, or other attaching means for the corner-plates 9 will, in case of the upper corners, some of them pass into the permanently-attached parts 6 and 7 of the top of the box, thereby assisting in holding said parts 6 and 7 securely to the body of the box. If desired, the opposing edges of parts 6 and 7 may be slightly beveled, and the adjoining edges of the removable part 8 correspondingly beveled in order to make a better joint.

The top of the box, consisting, as I have said, of the non-removable parts 6 and 7and the removable middle section 8, is reinforced and strengthened by means of three or more longitudinal bars, strips, or cleats 10 and two or more transverse bars, strips, or cleats 11. These are fastened to the cover parts 6, 7, and 8 by means of screws 12, that pass through the cover parts 6, 7, and 8 from the under side and enter the reinforcing-bars. Obviously in order to allow the removal of the cover-piece 8 at the proper time the longitudinal bars 10 must be made sectional, their end sections 13 being on the stationary parts (i and 7and their middle sections 14 being on the loose piece 8, and likewise the transverse cleats 11 must be made in sections that intervene between the bars 10, as clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Each longitudinal bar or strip 10 is provided with a longitudinal passage running almost through it, for it begins at one end and terminates within a very short distance of the other end, as shown in Fig. 2, said passage being designated by the reference-numeral 15 and designed to receive a metallic rod or bar 16, preferably thin and flat, having at its outer end reversely-bent lugs, forming a handle, and at its inner end a notch 18, whereby said inner end is a hook shape. In that one of the transverse bars 11 which lies near to the ends of the several rod-receivin g passages 15 is apassage 19. This passage of course runs not only through the sections which make up the transverse bar 11, but also through the intervening end portions of the longitudinal bars 10 in order that the passage 19 may be continuous. Passage 19 contains a removable rod 20, having at one end a head 21, and being perforated at the other end at 22 to provide for the engagement with the rod of a padlock 23, which is used for the purpose of locking the rod 20 non-removablyin position in the passage. The passage 19 intersects the various passages 15 at the point where the notches 18 of strips 16 are located, and accordingly if the strips 16 are first pushed into place and then the rod 20 placed in its passage said rod 20 will engage the various notches 18 and 0011- sequently lock the several strips 16 against withdrawal. In this way the cover-section 8 is firmly held in position on the box when it is desired to close the latter for shipment. If, for instance, there are three or more of the longitudinal bars 10, there will obviously be three or more of the metallic pieces 16 passing through these bars and holding the cover-section 8 rigidly in position between the permanently-attached parts 6 and 7. In order that there may be a place on the top of the box for the padlock 23 to rest, I preferably shift the block 24, which would otherwise occn py a corner position, as the end of the transverse barll, to one side, thus leaving a space for padlock 23, which space is protected by block 24, as well as by the side of the adjacent bar 10.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a shipping-box, the combination with the body of the box having compartments, of a sectional cover, two portions of which are permanently attached to the body while the third part is removable, said cover being provided with longitudinal and transverse reinforcing bars or cleats, and means for locking the cover in position consisting of longitudinal pieces passing through passages in the longitudinal bars, and a transverse rod engaging said pieces and provided with means for looking it.

2. The combination in a shipping-box,with the box-body, of a sectional cover, one part of which is removable while the other parts are permanently attached to the body, said cover having reinforcing-bars thereon provided with passages, strips located in said passages for holding the removable section of the cover in position, and a locking-rod engaging said strips.

3. The combination with a box-body, of a cover made in sections, one of which is removable while the others are permanently at tached to the body,said cover having strengthening-bars thereon, and locking means for the removable portion of the cover consisting essentially of pieces situated in passages in the bars.

4:. The combination with the body of the box, of a cover made in sections, one of which is removable while the others are permanently attached to said body, said cover having strengthening-bars provided with passages, locking means for secu ring the removable portion of the cover consisting of strips located in the passage in the bars, a transverse rod engaging said strips, and means for securing said rod against removal.

Signed at Boston this 30th day of April, 1902.

JOHN T. HICKS.

Witnesses:

EDWIN B. HALE, J. PORTER RUSSELL. 

